University of Arizona Scientists visit Manila Observatory

INSTRUMENT SET-UP– Dr. Armin Sorooshian and three of his PhD students, Alexis McDonald, Connor Stahl, and Rachel Braun, from the University of Arizona visited the Manila Observatory last 17 July-01 August ahead of the implementation of the Cloud, Aerosols and Monsoon Processes Philippines Experiment (CAMP2Ex) in 2019.

Dr. Sorooshian’s visit marked the beginning of CHECSM (CAMP2Ex Weather and Composition Monitoring), which is an intensive field campaign as a prelude to CAMP2Ex.

The team from the University of Arizona set-up a micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor (MOUDI) at the Annex Building of the Manila Observatory. MOUDI presents a 12-stage cascade impactor that can segregate ultra-fine, fine, and coarse particulate matter. The Observatory is classified as an urban-mix site which will be able to paint a picture of aerosol characteristics coming from different sources.

MOUDI Set-up at the Manila Observatory’s Annex Building

Data gathered in CHECSM will serve as a baseline measurement in an urban environment. MOUDI is set to measure air quality for one year in the Observatory Grounds.

Along with MOUDI, the Air Quality Dynamics-Instrumentation and Technology Development (AQD-ITD) laboratory is also expecting a number of instruments within the year from a number of agencies to monitor air quality.